TradingKey – On September 23 US Eastern Time, McDonald’s (MCD) shares came under a new round of downward pressure, falling over 6% intraday to mark its largest single-day drop since March 2020 and nearing a four-year low; the stock has fallen in 9 of the past 11 trading days. Investors are assessing the impact of a large-scale franchisee support plan on the company’s short-term cash flow and whether it can support long-term growth.

According to company plans, McDonald’s will provide approximately $8.5 billion in support to franchisees through rent reductions and capital investments by 2036, with about $5 billion to be invested before 2030. The funds will be used for restaurant modernization, technology deployment, and operational…